CNBC Daily Open: Kospi bull run rolls on

Key Points:

• South Korea's Kospi index has surged over 70% since the start of the year, reaching a record high above 7,000, driven largely by a 15% jump in Samsung shares which pushed its market capitalization past $1 trillion.
• Samsung became the second Asian company after TSMC to cross the $1 trillion market cap threshold, fueled by strong investor interest in artificial intelligence-related stocks.
• U.S. President Donald Trump announced a pause in "Project Freedom," a military operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress toward a potential agreement with Iran.
• China hosted Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for talks ahead of Trump's visit to Beijing, signaling diplomatic engagement amid ongoing tensions related to the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.
• Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy is shifting from its previous "never sell" approach to more active management of its bitcoin holdings, following a $12.5 billion net loss in Q1 due to bitcoin price declines, aiming to maximize bitcoin value per share.